1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dental and medical instruments, and more particularly, to such instruments that include a mechanism for safely handling and disposing of syringe needles.
2. Description of the Related Art
The hazards of handling syringe needles, specially in a dental office environment, has become of great concern to patients and workers alike. Accidental injuries with needles are no longer cured with a bandage but in ever increasing numbers have become vehicles for the transmission of fatal diseases, such as AIDS and hepatitis among others. The problem of handling needles has become worse with the use of gloves since it makes the manipulation of these devices more difficult and little protection is offered by the flexible and vulnerable material of which they are made. Hence a need for instruments that incorporate mechanisms for safely disposing of needles after they are used.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.